Wireless Gate Control and Communication System

Abstract

A gate control and communication system of the invention including a base unit located within a premises, a gate receiver unit positioned next to a remotely located gate, and a gate control unit located next to the gate. The base unit provides for voice communications with an individual at the gate and for issuing of commands to control the gate. The gate receiver unit includes a switching device which, in response to commands directs the opening and closing of the gate. The gate control unit includes a call button for initiating voice communication with the base unit and a keypad for entering an identification code or password. The information stored in an existing gate control unit may be cloned into an additional or replacement gate control unit by entering an appropriate identification code and command while positioning the units in range of each other.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 685,466, filed on Mar. 13, 2007, which application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 767,285, filed Mar. 15, 2006, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.[0002]This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 685,470, filed on May 23, 2007, now abandoned, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety hereinFIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to control of access to secured locations, as when a door or gate is positioned to block entry to a residential or business premises and is opened or released in response to a coded input, in association with a system providing communication between the vicinity of the gate and the premises.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0004]Physical access to many residential and commercial premises is controlled by placing a movable barrier suc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the present invention to provide a gate control and communication system which is wire-free.

[0007]Another object is to provide a gate control and communications system for use in access control devices which has extremely low power requirements, permitting practical operation with standard or solar rechargeable batteries.

[0008]A further object is to provide an access control system including a gate control unit and communications system which offers a full range of functionality, is extremely reliable and, at the same time, lower in cost than comparable prior art systems.

[0009]Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

[0010]In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides a three-part system, namely, a base unit, a gate receiver unit and a gate control unit, the latter being hereinafter referred to as a GCU. The base unit is located at or within the premises and comprises a transceiver designed to interface with the other two parts. That is, the base unit permits an individual at the premises to respond to a call from the GCU, provides two-way voice communication between the premises and the GCU, and permits command signals to be communicated from the premises to the GCU to open the gate.

[0011]The gate receiver unit comprises an output switching device such as a relay or a similar semiconductor device that will command the gate operator to open the gate when a valid signal and command is received from the GCU or base unit. The GCU is located in the gate area and features an ultra low power microprocessor which controls the functionality of the system. Additional components of the GCU are a transceiver section with high efficiency and low power consumption, but with enough power output to reach the premises (base unit) reliably, a battery power system comprised of standard, non-rechargeable batteries or rechargeable batteries with a solar charger, a microphone, a speaker, means for converting audio signals from the microphone to RF signals for transmission to the base unit, means for converting incoming RF signals to signals which provide audible output on the speaker, and means for compressing the sampled audio data stream to a much smaller than standard audio spectrum and limited to speech quality sound. The transceiver unit transmits and receives signal at very high speed, whereby the time required for playback of signals in real time is much longer than the time required for transmission and reception of the data stream. Additionally, a low duty cycle allows the microprocessor to turn the transceiver off except when actually operating to send or receive signals.

Problems solved by technology

Although some access control systems employ solar power, this may not always be reliable and the usual practice is to connect the gate motor controller, keypad and communication system to a power source at the premises, often requiring expensive trenching over relatively long distances.

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